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Friday, October 7, 2011

Before the End: A Time of Demons with Guest Blogger: Kathryn Meyer Griffith

Welcome to Day #4 of the Dark Days of Demons Blog Event here at the Book Boost!

Win a copy of Before The End: A Time of Demons today at the Boost! Hope you've all been enjoying our Demon event for the month of October. Today is the first of FIVE review days for the month. They'll occur each Friday and then the final review on Halloween Day. These are books I've selected that will undergo my 5 point review system.

First up, we have Before the End: A Time of Demons by author Kathryn Meyer Griffith. My review will follow her guest blog. Here's what she had to say...

Why I Wrote A Time of Demons(edited for length)

It all started with a tiny seed. Two characters. Siblings. These characters, a loving brother and sister, Cassandra and Johnny Graystone, would be nightclub playing musicians who’d lost their whole family (five brothers and sisters and a mother and father) twenty years before and in the present would be living with and taking care of their elderly aunt and uncle.

The aunt would have Alzheimer’s and the uncle, age catching up with him, would be frail, as well. They’d be Catholic. As I’d been raised. The uncle would believe the end days had come.

Cassandra would be happy with her life singing out with her brother and living with her sick aunt and uncle. Until…she’d begin to know when people were going to die and she’d begin seeing these hideous creatures – demons–hiding behind some of her human audiences’ faces; bad things would start to happen around her, and she’d think either she was going insane or something terrible was happening to the world.

Turns out her uncle was right. The end days had come. I saw demons and angels swirling around her that only, at first, she would see. Then I saw her with a glowing sword that she’d use in battles with other human soldiers of her kind she’d meet along the way fighting a growing horde of demons. The apocalypse not far behind.

Ah, it would be an apocalyptic novel. That’s it. But one with heart; characters you could root for and love, more a layman’s view of the biblical end-of-days, and not near as much preaching as The Left Behind series which I’d read years before and liked.

Since I’ve always wanted to write an end-of-days novel –I’d loved Stephen King’s The Stand so much– the story had taken firm root and wouldn’t leave me alone until I started writing it. I had to. It would be my masterpiece! The book called to me that strongly.

The woman eventually discovers she is one of many who will have powers to see and fight demons, with the help of angels, as the end days draw near. She must seek out others like herself and convince them to join the fight.

Many agents, editors and publishers turned it down. Too religious. Not religious enough. Not enough this, not enough that. .. I wasn’t a big enough writer. How dare I write something on such a huge religious scale. Oh, no, you have angels in it? Oh, no, you have demons in it! Whatever. But I believed so much in the book I didn’t give up. I kept sending it out.

In 2010, I finally sold it to Kim Richards at Damnation Books, her brand new publishing company (and now she also owns Eternal Press and Realms of Fantasy Magazine). She read and loved it. She got it.

So that’s how Before The End: A Time of Demons was given life. It’s been a heck of a lot of work, but a labor of love. Now if more people would give it a try, a read, I’m hopeful they’d like it, as well. It’s far more than a simple horror or religious parable…it’s a family and earthly human saga. All I can do is pray, hope…and promote, promote, promote!

FRIGHTFULLY FABULOUS REVIEW:The Book Boost's Five Point Review

1. What is it about?

Here's a blurb (edited for length):

Since Cassandra Graystone was a child and her family perished in a fire she knows and sees things other people don't...when someone will die or that a demon lurks beneath a human skin. She sees phantoms.

Yet she craves a simple life singing out with her musician brother, Johnny, and caring for her elderly aunt and uncle; to be with her friends, Sarah, a psychic, and Walter, a clown in a carnival circuit. But when Sarah sees apocalyptic events in her tarot cards and demons are everywhere, Cassandra fears she's going insane or something terrifying is happening in the world.

Rayner, an ancient blood demon, lodges next door. He becomes obsessed with her. Never having felt pity or affection for a human before he believes he loves her, would die to protect her. The demon realm gathers for the final confrontation between us, Rayner warns. The apocalypse comes. You and your friends must prepare.

Cassandra flees that knowledge until an angelic being, Manasseh, appears. Your powers will grow. You must fight for humanity's survival after the first wave is taken. Seek out others like you. Persuade them to join the battle. Cassandra and her friends can no longer deny their destinies. They must fight...or see the remnants of humanity engulfed in flames.

2. What did I think of it (using only 5 words)?

Apocalyptic, nomadic demon fighters rule!

3. Would I recommend it?

Absolutely, if you enjoy darkly paranormal, apocalyptic paranormal/horror with demons galore, psychics, and reluctant heroes, this is the book for you. Kathryn's writing is strong, smart, fresh, and deeply frightening as you journey through a world where nothing is as it seems and the end of the world draws nigh. Spine tingling twists and turns that never let up and Ms. Griffith can and will surprise you until the very end.

4. Who should buy it?

Really a toss up here. On one hand, it does lean more toward the dark paranormal or horror crowd and I know they'll be pleased with it. But I think anyone interested in demonology and the mystical world would also enjoy this book tremendously. Don't be tempted into believing this is "just another demon book" as it is one of the most unique stories I've read in quite a while and true adventure. Though, not for the faint of heart!

5. Would I read more from this author?

Yes, in fact, I luckily have a copy of one of her prior books Vampire Blood which I'm very much looking forward to reading next.

Leave a question or comment for Kathryn to be entered to win a copy of Before the End: A Time of Demons.

**Winners for Book Boost prizes are drawn the first week of the following month and posted in the Recent Winners box in the right hand side of the blog. Check back to see if you are a winner and to claim your prize! Please leave your contact information in your blog post!**

3 comments:

Thank you Book Boost for having me here today...so happy you liked A TIME OF DEMONS! It's my favorite of all my novels. Warmly, author Kathryn meyer Griffith rdgriff@htc.net...AND a 2012 EPIC EBOOK AWARDS FINALIST NOMINEE for my end-of-the-world vampire novel in the horror category THE LAST VAMPIRE

Hi Kathryn – This is a very interesting concept. I can imagine that it isn't for the faint of heart. It sounds frightening and enticing at the same time, and I always enjoy reluctant heroes. I’d love to read it!

Kerri – thanks for your Five Point Review! You’re awesome as always!Rebeccarrgreene62(at)gmail.com